This story takes place in the alternate timeline introduced in Episode 3 of the original Life is Strange. It's also a slight AU. Rachel is still alive.

Max:

"Max? Maxine?"

Max blinked several times before shifting her gaze at her best friend, Victoria. Vic looked almost worried about her, but that wasn't unusual. Vic always waited on Max hand and foot, like it was her duty. Not that Max minded, but her insistence could be a little annoying.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You were completely zoned out, Maxine. It's like you were in another universe. Are you already tweaking?"

Max rolled her eyes. "No, I'm fine. I was just lost in thought. First week back for the spring semester and all. Pass me the blunt."

Vic nodded. She took the blunt from Hayden and lit up. After one puff, she passed it to Max.

The rest of their Vortex Club were scattered in a small circle on the north western part of the courtyard. It was a nice day for mid-January, enough for the group to wear their spring wear. Max sat in between Victoria and Courtney.

The girl in question took out her pink lighter and lit it up one more time. As she inhaled, she took another chance to peer at the boy sitted across the campus grounds. He was seated next to Stella Hill. He was talking very animatedly, using his hands to describe something Max could not hear nor follow.

She felt something in her chest. A bizarre feeling she could not place. Slowly, she exhaled the reefer smoke that burned through her system.

She passed the blunt unceremoniously to Courtney. Her eyes remained locked on the boy across the courtyard.

"Maxine? Maxine?"

Max blinked. "What do you want Vic?" It annoyed Max that Victoria insisted to call her Maxine, despite Max's persistence that she NOT be called that.

Victoria flushed slightly. "I just wanted to ask if you heard from Nathan yet?"

Max turned her full attention back to her friend. "I haven't heard from him since I broke my phone, Vic." Technically, Max hadn't heard from anyone since she dropped her phone in the parking lot of the school. It shattered into multiple pieces. After classes, she plans on getting a new one.

"He texted me. He wants to know if you're chilling at the party tonight. It's going to be super dope."

Max shrugged. Another party sounded fun. She had a chemistry test tomorrow, but she's sure her grades will survive. It was bullshit that Ms. Grant was already making them test when they were barely a week into the semester, but go figure. She knew she never should've switched her classes from bio to chem, but she hated bio. Oh well, it's not like Max Caulfield actually planned to study.

"Yeah, you know I'll be there. Is Rachel actually coming this time? Or is she ditching us again?"

"Yeah, she's finally going. I'm glad you're coming. Nathan is so into you by the way," Victoria couldn't help but mention. Max wasn't surprised by her friend's deduction. Nathan had been all over her since she returned to Arcadia Bay. He was cute, in his own way, Max just wasn't sure if she was into him.

"He's cute," she admitted. "And he's fun to hang with, but I'm more interested in having fun then being in a relationship."

"Oh, you little ho!" Vic slapped her arm playfully. She almost looked relieved. Almost.

"Whatever," Max giggled. "I didn't mean like that! You knew what I meant by that!"

"Sure," Victoria replied sarcastically.

The blunt made its second round back to Victoria. Vic puffed once on it before passing it to Max. Max took a small hit before passing it to Courtney.

She returned to staring at the boy once again. Stella Hill had now left him, and now he returned to the notebook. His tongue stuck out of his mouth slightly while he concentrated.

Max jabbed her elbow lightly into Vic's ribs. "Yeah?"

"Who is that?" Max muttered.

"That?" Victoria snickered. "That's Gayram."

Max blinked. "Is that, like, his actual name?"

"No," Vic laughed. "That's what all the boys call him. His name is Warren Graham. Why do you care?"

Max ignored her last question. "Is he new?"

"No. He's been here since I was a freshman. Why the sudden interest in Graham?"

"I dunno," Max shrugged. "I just don't remember seeing him before."

Vic cocked an eyebrow. "You sure? He's in that chemistry class you transferred too, yet you didn't notice him?"

"I had my phone then," Max shrugged.

Victoria snorted. "No wonder why Nathan has so much time to text me now! He's been texting you during class!"

"Better than listening to Ms. Grant lecture about chemical formulas. I swear if I have to listen to Ms. Grant say the word "sodium" one more time I'm going to shoot myself."

"You go off girl!"

Max smiled. Glancing briefly, she noticed the boy, Warren apparently, was packing up his stuff. Perhaps he was getting ready for his next class.

Reacting quickly, Max pulled out her camera. "Selfie Vic? While we wait for Hayden to pack the bowl?"

"Sure!" Vic chittered excitedly.

"Away from the sun," Max muttered.

The two adjusted themselves and positioned themselves away from the sun. With a snap of her instant camera, she had produced a very good selfie of the two friends. In the backround, Warren Graham was walking away, a backpack in tow.

"Hey Hayden! Are you done packing that bowl yet?"

"Yeah, I am," he chuckled good naturedly. "You want the first hit, Max?"

"Of course," she smiled. Sometimes, it was good to be the Queen Bee of Blackwell.

Chloe:

She was alone.

Finally, she loved her parents but they've been smothering as of late. A few months ago, Chloe was sitting at home, just after a visit from her good friend, Max, when she felt it.

Her finger twitched. She thought she imagined it. But when she tried again, and again, and again.

It kept happening. Then, like an itch you can't stop scratching, she couldn't stop moving her fingers. She was playing a symphony only she could hear.

She was excited to tell her parents. And they were absolutely over the moon to hear that Chloe was regaining control of her limbs.

It was hell. Chloe wanted to get up and move. She wanted to remember what it was like to walk. To run.

She hasn't regained that feeling. Now matter how hard she's tried to move a toe, a foot, a leg, it hasn't worked.

She hasn't had much ability to try. Joyce and William had been smothering her since she told them. Not that she blamed them. They had been praying for a breakthrough just as much as she had.

She was happy for them, but she couldn't be contented with regaining control of just her upper body. She wanted more.

Taking a deep breath, she sat up on her butt. She grabbed her legs and swung them over her bed. She grabbed the crutch near her bed, if all goes well she won't need it.

Not that anything goes "well" for Chloe.

Nervously, she planted her feet and leaned on her crutch. She felt disheartened that she couldn't move her legs, but she stood.

Out of bravery, or perhaps stupidity, she stood. One second, two seconds, three. Perhaps, this was the mirac-

She fell on her face.